A new House Republican bill aims to send any person convicted of unlawful activity on a college campus to Gaza for at least six months. The bill, introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), targets illegal activities that have escalated on college campuses since Hamas militants invaded Israel on October 7, 2023.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A group of House Republicans introduced a bill on Wednesday that would send any person convicted of illegal activity on a college campus to the Gaza Strip for at least six months.
The bill, led by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), is in response to the ongoing anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses across the country. Several of these protests have turned violent, with clashes between police and activists, and hundreds of activists have been arrested.
The bill text does not mention Israel or anti-Israel groups but specifically targets unlawful activity on college campuses after October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants invaded Israel in a surprise attack that killed over 1,000 people.
Those convicted under the bill would be forced to serve a minimum six-month community service sentence in Gaza, where Israel is currently waging a brutal campaign to eradicate Hamas and rescue the remaining Israelis that terrorists took hostage in October.
"Students have abandoned their classes to harass other students and disrupt campus-wide activities, including university commencement ceremonies nationwide. Enough is enough," Ogles told Fox News Digital. "That's why I introduced legislation to send any person convicted of unlawful activity on the campus of an American university since October 7th, 2023, to Gaza to complete a minimum of six months of community service."
Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas), another sponsor of the bill, said, "If you support a terrorist organization and participate in unlawful activity on campuses, you should get a taste of your own medicine. I am going to bet that these pro-Hamas supporters wouldn't last a day, but let's give them the opportunity."
The bill is likely to face uncertain odds in the House, where Republicans hold a razor-thin majority of just one seat. Even if it passed, the Democrat-controlled Senate would almost certainly ignore it. However, it highlights the heightened tensions wracking the U.S. over Israel's war with Hamas.
The college protests have garnered bipartisan criticism from virtually all Republicans and a significant number of Democrats, but progressives have continued to show strong support for the students and other activists on campus.
For example, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has referred to some Jewish students as "pro-genocide," earning her a GOP-led censure resolution filed by Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.). Her fellow "Squad" member, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), has also been censured for her comments about Israel.
The tension between Israel and its critics has intensified after Benjamin Netanyahu's return to power in Israel. Netanyahu, known for his hardline stance against Hamas, has vowed to restore order to the region and has authorized several airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.
The U.S. has condemned the Hamas attacks and has called for the immediate release of the hostages. The Biden administration has also reaffirmed its commitment to Israel's security and has provided military assistance to the country.
However, the Biden administration has also faced criticism for its handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, particularly its support for a two-state solution that would create a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
The conflict between Israel and its critics is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, and it remains to be seen how the current tensions will be resolved.
